A Wish for Wings that Work

I did not record this book.  It is one of my favorite and I think this wonderful version hits all the right notes.  It is An Opus Christmas Story:  A Wish for Wings that Work, by Berkeley Breathed.  I adored his Bloom County and later Outland comic strips as a kid.  I used to cut them out and keep them in a cigar box.  This story is about embracing the gifts you have instead of wishing for impossibilities.  I always read this to first graders talking about how penguins ant fly in the air but in the water.  Afterward I have them write a Christmas wish on a red or green construction paper strip to turn into a wish chain for our tree.  I love the words of this story-they are clever and yet simple in their message.  It always engages the interest.  I hope you enjoy it as much as me.

Keep Calm and Read On,

NC  Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads The Christmas Promise

The Christmas Promise by Susan Bartoletti is a great historical/realistic fiction story.  It is set during the Depression when jobs were scarce.  It centers on a little girl and her father told from the point of view of the girl.  After her father loses his job they become hobos riding the rails looking for work until they are caught by a railroad bully.  The story is great to use with older elementary and I read it to my third graders.  Students get caught up easily in the story,  I discuss the Great Depression before reading to activate prior knowledge and talk about hobos.  The end papers have hobo signs drawn on them.  There is a link to a website that talks a little more about Hobo Signs.  I hope you will enjoy this great read aloud as much as I do.  

Keep Calm and Read On,

NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads Olive the Other Reindeer

I love sharing this story by J. Otto Siebold and Vivian Walsh with my kindergartners!  Olive is so cute and the play on words with Rudolph the Red nose reindeer song is fun to read!  I always start with singing Rudolph, then I read the story, and then we sing again.  The illustrations are very funky retro!  There is another Olive story called Olive, My love!  a Valentines Day story that is almost as fun!  Sofia kitty makes a guest appearance during the story.  For some reason she gets very excited when I read or sing.

Keep Calm and Read on!

NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads Hanukkah Lights, Hanukkah Nights

I found this book by Leslie Kimmelmen unexpectedly in my library collection.  It had been hidden from me but was a great surprise.  My standby Hanukkah book for use with the kindergarten was missing so I used this instead.  I missed some of the elements of the other story such as the emphasis on more specific activities the family did each night as the sun set.  This had good detail in the story for some of the Hanukkah traditions but did not name in the story the menorah or that Jewish people celebrated it.  However there is a section at the end of text that did fill in those facts as well as giving a good read aloud version of the Maccabees story.  So I highly recommend this book for pre-k through first grade.  The book I used to use and you can still buy is, Is it Hanukkah Yet? by Nancy Krulik.  I will have to get a new copy.

Keep Calm and Read on,

 NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

This copy has been a favorite from childhood.  It was always my favorite TV special, my favorite holiday song, and story book.  I love the Richard Scarry illustrations.   The story is fun and kids can relate to the theme of feeling like a misfit or not finding a place to fit in.  I hope you enjoy this read along and will sing the song with me at the end.

Keep calm and read on!

NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl presents Click Clack Ho! Ho! Ho!

I found this great book at my November book fair.  Doreen Cronin has a series of books about Farmer brown and his farme animals.  The original story Click Clack Moo, Cows that type and all the others are very fun to read.  Kids love them!  Im using as a read aloud with my younger students.  Enjoy this with a surprise pitter patter guest appearance by Sofia kitty!

Keep calm and read on!

NC Bookgirl